Become A Victim Of The Cianjur Earthquake, 144 Hajj Candidates Resign The Departure Schedule

Head of the Hajj Section of the Ministry of Religion in Cianjur Regency, West Java, Rian Fauzi. (ANTARA/Ahmad Fikri).

CIANJUR - The Office of the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) of Cianjur Regency, West Java, noted that hundreds of Hajj candidates from Cianjur had pushed back their departure to the Holy Land because they were victims of the earthquake and were still living in tents and emergency housing.

Head of the Hajj Section of the Ministry of Religion Cianjur, Rian Fauzi, said the Hajj quota in 2023 Cianjur was 1,355 people divided into four groups, but 144 of them canceled their departure because they had not paid the cost of going on a pilgrimage because they were victims of the earthquake.

"Those who have resigned from departure have been replaced with prospective pilgrims who are on the 2023 waiting list, most of the earthquake victims have chosen to complete the construction of the house first," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, May 22.

Rian explained that about 50 percent of those who postponed their departure due to being earthquake victims, while the rest died and were sick and waited for departure along with other family members next year.

Those who postpone departure will be included in the list of prospective hajj candidates in 2024, so that they can first complete the construction of houses damaged by the earthquake because most of those who resign are still living in tents and emergency housing.

"Officers from the Ministry of Religion have visited prospective pilgrims who have postponed their departure, most of them chose to complete the construction of houses that collapsed due to the earthquake, and will pay the cost of going up for Hajj next year," he said.

His party noted that the Cianjur hajj quota in 2023, as many as 1,355 people were divided into four groups, three complete groups and one combined group with the first batch departure schedule Tuesday (23/5) as many as 466 people plus eight companions.

"As for the second batch, there were 366 people plus 8 officers departed on June 5. The third batch was 432 people plus 8 officers were dispatched on June 16," he said.

As for batch 4 as many as 195 prospective hajj candidates plus two officers who were merged with congregants from Bandung Regency departed on June 21, 2023.